Performance testing is complicated and Costly  due to huge  resource requirements and the time taking process. So performance testing require careful planning and a robust methodology. Performance testing don't have clear goal because of the different people who are performing the various roles and having different projection .Also the number of defects found during performance testing may require the design change.

Finally when a performance defect is fix it may cause some of the functionality to stop, therefore it require more effort during regression. For these reason this particular section focus on different steps and guideline for performing a performance testing in a Methodical manner. A methodology for performance testing involves the following steps.

A process for performance testing involves the following steps :

1. Gathering requirements
2. Writing test cases
3. Automating performance test cases
4. Executing performance test cases
5. Analyzing performance test results
6. Performance adjustment
7. Performance standard

Tools for Performance Testing:

For Performance testing there are two types of tool:

1. Functional performance Tool : It involves to help in recording and playing back the transaction and get the performance numbers. It involves very few machines.

2. Load Tool: It stimulate the load condition for performance testing.It simplifies to creating the load.

Some popular Tools are:

Functional Testing Tools:

• WinRunner
• QA partner
• Silktest

Load testing Tool:

• Load Runner
• QA Load
• Silk Performer